Aoba's consciousness appeared in a unique space, seemingly a genjutsu world created by the Sharingan.
Unlike Itachi's Tsukuyomi, this space was rudimentary. Aoba couldn't manipulate time or space within it.
However, this simplicity also made it less dangerous than Tsukuyomi. Most importantly, the Sharingan's genjutsu was powered by Aoba's chakra, allowing him a certain degree of influence over the space.
Aoba's objective was to use this genjutsu space to reverse-engineer the Sharingan's inner workings and tap into its spiritual essence.
Although a mere pair of three-tomoe Sharingan didn't constitute a full "spiritual world," they still contained significant power. Having successfully activated the eyes made the process much easier for Aoba.
The intrusion was anything but easy. Aoba immediately encountered resistance—a unique spiritual force blocking his entry.
It was an instinctual, residual force from the Sharingan's original owner.
After breaking through this barrier, Aoba found himself viewing something extraordinary.
The spiritual world was fundamentally different from the physical one. It was more abstract, surreal, and even bizarre.
Aoba struggled to describe what he saw. If forced to explain, it resembled a kind of puzzle.
Yin-release chakra, spiritual energy, and a third, more abstract force came together to form this puzzle.
Aoba realized that this must be the essence of the Sharingan's ocular power, presented in an extremely abstract form.
He could interpret this abstraction, but one thing stood out—the puzzle was incomplete.
The third, abstract force had a conspicuous gap, rendering the entire puzzle flawed.
Aoba understood he was close to uncovering the deepest secrets of the Sharingan.
The Sharingan was incredibly powerful but had significant flaws.
After awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, its users gained immense strength, but the strain on their eyes often led to blindness which was a devastating drawback.
Aoba himself possessed a Mangekyō Sharingan. Although Kotoamatsukami had consumed much of his ocular power, he could still perform Mangekyō-level genjutsu. However, he used it sparingly.
Even with Hashirama cells aiding recovery, the regeneration of ocular power was painfully slow.
As for activating a Susanoo, even partially, Aoba hadn't dared to try. His Sharingan was too valuable to risk. If he went blind, it would be a monumental loss.
Through his deep exploration of the Sharingan's power, Aoba developed a new understanding of the blindness issue associated with overusing the Mangekyō.
The combination of Yin-release chakra and spiritual energy formed the foundation of ocular power. The Uchiha clan's bloodline allowed them to naturally achieve this within their eyes.
However, this alone only unlocked the three-tomoe Sharingan.
To advance further required the addition of a third force, which Aoba called psychic energy. This correlated with the Sharingan's title as the "Eye of the Mind."
Although Senju Tobirama wasn't an Uchiha, his research on the clan had been remarkably thorough. His description of the Sharingan as the "Eye of the Mind" was uncannily accurate.
From Aoba's observations, this psychic energy was the key to transforming ocular power into the Mangekyō Sharingan and unlocking its unique abilities.
This force was even more abstract than spiritual energy—it was a projection of one's subconscious.
Yin-release chakra and spiritual energy formed the foundation of ocular power, while psychic energy elevated it, allowing the Sharingan to manifest the user's innermost desires as unique Mangekyō abilities.
However, this psychic energy came with inherent flaws.
Aoba couldn't pinpoint the exact reason but hypothesized it was due to the Uchiha being descendants of Indra. Their bloodline likely carried a natural imperfection, whether physical or spiritual.
This flaw caused the Mangekyō's immense ocular power to place an overwhelming burden on the body.
In simple terms, the psychic energy aimed to create a grand "world," but the eyes could only manage a small, isolated space. The deficit translated into physical strain.
Ultimately, chakra, spiritual energy, and ocular power all required the body as a medium for expression.
From this perspective, Obito's extensive use of Kamui without Hashirama cells would have been nearly impossible. This also underscored that while the Uchiha bloodline was powerful, Hashirama cells were the true "official cheat code."
Regardless, this experiment was groundbreaking for Aoba. It revealed new paths for further research, though these would take time.
For now, Aoba had other matters to address.
Negotiations with Sunagakure had been ongoing for a week. For talks between two of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, this wasn't unusual.
In fact, Aoba thought the process was surprisingly fast—word had it the negotiations would conclude today. He had initially expected them to drag on for at least two weeks.
However, Tsunade's fiery temperament and decisive approach ensured no further delays.
Sunagakure was forced to pay a heavy price. They couldn't afford monetary reparations, but they handed over numerous secret and forbidden techniques.
This alone nearly doubled the size of Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
Additionally, the treaty included trade agreements, the transfer of mission quotas, intelligence sharing, and, most significantly, a military alliance with Konoha.
The contract stipulated that Sunagakure would provide military support whenever Konoha required it. Conversely, whether Konoha would aid Sunagakure was left deliberately vague.
In essence, it was a veiled subjugation agreement. From the moment the treaty was signed, Sunagakure effectively became Konoha's subordinate.
Tsunade's assertive approach was worlds apart from the accommodating policies of the Third Hokage. With Chiyo absent, Maki's team stood no chance against Nara Shikaku's strategies.
After signing the treaty, Maki was left in a daze. He even entertained the idea of suicide, feeling as though the treaty had practically sold out Sunagakure.
Tsunade, triumphant and elated, celebrated with a couple of drinks before heading to Aoba's home.
"You must be Haruno Sakura?"
"Yes, Hokage-sama. Sensei isn't home," Sakura replied nervously, bowing quickly upon seeing the Hokage.
"Relax. You're Aoba's student. I don't recall that guy ever bowing to me. Besides, I'm not here for him, I'm here for you."
"For… me?"
"During the recent war, I heard you used the Mystical Palm Technique to heal over three hundred wounded in a continuous effort lasting a full day and night?"
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Currently on Chapter 158: A Drunken Tsunade and a Hidden Mask